Introducing the ITFA Conference Speakers – Robert Besseling and Celeste Fauconnier

The ITFA Board is delighted to announce that Robert Besseling (EXX Africa) and Celeste Fauconnier (Rand Merchant Bank) will be heading one of the sessions at the ITFA 45th Annual Trade and Forfaiting Conference this year in Cape Town, South Africa. This joint session is titled ”African Economic Outlook: a look inside the continent”.

Robert Besseling founded EXX AFRICA in 2015, after pursuing a decade-long career in political risk forecasting at industry-leading companies such as London-based Exclusive Analysis and NYSE-listed IHS Global. At EXX AFRICA, Robert leads a team of partners and contributing analysts to produce commercially relevant and actionable analysis on African political, security, and economic risk. Robert is an expert in forecasting political, security, and economic risk to African natural resources and associated infrastructure development. He has travelled extensively on the continent and calls Africa his ‘home’.

Robert holds an MA (Hons.) in History from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He also has an MBA and a PhD in African political and economic history. He is fluent in English, French, and Dutch.

Celeste Fauconnier is a Sub-Saharan Africa Economist for the Global Markets Research team at Rand Merchant Bank for the past twelve years.

She finished her under-graduate degree in International Relations at the University of Stellenbosch and completed her honours at Wits University. Celeste formulates macroeconomic and financial market views for various sub-Saharan African countries. Her team has won multiple awards in the past decade for the best Africa Research House, particularly at the JSE Spire Awards.

At this year’s conference, this session will identify exciting new opportunities for trade in Africa and lay out strategies to mitigate political risk. Which markets are showing consistent economic performance and are emerging as attractive trading and investment destinations? To what extent does political risk matter and which African countries have shown a marked improvement in their political risk outlook? Country case studies will include Angola, Egypt, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and many other important African markets.

The session will be divided into two separate keynote presentations, followed by Q&A audience participation.

We look forward to welcoming Robert and Celeste in Cape Town!